Category Archives: Violence

On Sunday, July 14, 2013, I faced what most pastors faced – crowds of people that were disillusioned by the verdict rendered in the George Zimmerman case. It cannot be understated that most African-Americans feel that this was a mis-carriage of justice. And I concur – the verdict was not justice. Justice is getting what you deserve in spite of personality. He received mercy from the jury. Mercy is not getting what you deserve.

I had a sermon already prepared to preach but my congregation was hurting. Hearts were shaken and a fundamental belief that justice is blind was shaken in a way that I haven’t seen since the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. But I’m a pastor of a great, historic church in Frankfort, Kentucky, many miles from Sanford, Florida, but I have something to say about this – “I’m Angry.”

I want to share this sermon from this past Sunday and I hope it will at least offer a voice in the dialogue that we’ll all having, of all colors and hues, this week. I pray that we can protest without violence taking over. I pray that we remember that honoring Trayvon Martin is not done by looting and exercising violence upon the innocent bystander. God, have mercy.

RENTON, Wash. — Pastor Garry Tyson described his Wednesday night as an encounter with pure rage.

“My wife could very well be a widow, and my children could very well be fatherless,” said Tyson.

Tyson’s wife Nicole and son Marques were driving home when they encountered a driver who seemed determined to “run them off the road.”

“He crossed over three lanes, then pulled directly in front of me,” said Tyson.

The driver put his car in reverse before slamming on the brakes, according to Tyson’s wife.

At that point, the family thought they had been hit.

“When I saw my car was not damaged, I went up to his driver’s door just to ask him what happened, what’s the problem here,” said Tyson. “It was a tinted window car. When the window got down, he had a 9 millimeter pointed at me and he just shot.”

Tyson said there was no conversation, just the single shot. But he moved his body just in time, and the bullet hit his hand.

“If I hadn’t turned, he would have got me in my torso, my throat, my head or somewhere, and I would not be having this conversation with you,” said Tyson.

Tyson said the driver, a man he had never seen before, sped off. Tyson’s family took down a good description which led to an arrest.

“I’ve forgiven him but justice must be served,” said Tyson.

Tyson said he does not know what was behind the man’s rage or why he was the target.

Pastor Garry Tyson expects to make a full recovery, and plans on being behind the pulpit at Goodwill Missionary Baptist Church on Sunday.